The War of the Simpsons

Season 2, Episode 20, Aired
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Episode Summary

After Homer gets drunk and embarrasses Marge in front of their friends at a party, she signs them up for a church sponsored marriage retreat at Catfish Lake. Meanwhile, Grampa is left in charge of the kids.
8.5
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Great
249 votes
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Fan Episode Reviews (10)

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  • Great

    8.5
    "Great"
    By jmbsonic555, Oct 17, 2011 Report Abuse
    After Homer gets drunk and embarrasses Marge in front of their friends at a party, she signs them up for a church sponsored marriage retreat at Catfish Lake. Meanwhile, Grampa is left in charge of the kids.
    Overall Homer's plot was okay
    but Grampa's plot was perfect

    8.5 out of 10


    great!

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  • this was a good ep i tought

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By cube2k8, May 14, 2010 Report Abuse
    in this ep of the simpsons . marge and homer go off on a treat and leave grampa in charge of things. and the kids are wondering whats grampa do he is smart in this ep and the kids through a good party and it gets outhand and makes grampa cry and they fix the house for the parents and homer and marge are having there diffrences seeing homer tyring to sneek off fishing and the homer catches the lengedary fish and he throws it back into the lake to prove his love for her and they return home this was a great epmoreless

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  • retreat

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By futuramarama, Apr 06, 2010 Report Abuse
    marge and homer go on a retreat to save their marriage, but homer tries to get a fish- General Sherman.

    grampa is left in charge of the kids, and he learns it isn't easy. so what's a grampa to do, other than trick the kids into feeling sorry for him and tidying up the house for their parents.

    a good episode, i really liked the ending when grampa fooled bart and lisa, as well as the main plot overall. Good execution and pretty funny, an A or so it gets from me, because i found some of it rather boring, to be honestmoreless

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  • amazing ep, best ep ever

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By owenkravekiv2, Feb 26, 2008 Report Abuse
    This episode is truely superb with some great laughs in it!

    The main plot is very funny (most Marge & Homer marriage related episodes are), I particuly liked the scene in which Marge drolls out all the things that she finds wrong with Homer (that's great!).

    The Bart-Lisa-Grandpa subplot is also very funny. The list that Bart produces is classic and the things they go shopping for made me laugh. I liked how Granpa got the kids to tidy the house up just by crying! That was great - can kids actually make that much mess??

    amazing ep, best ep evar r rmoreless

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  • Good episode

    8.7
    "Great"
    By Iverson82094, Jan 28, 2008 Report Abuse
    Marge and Homer throw a party, but when Homer gets drunk and starts making a pass at Maude Flanders, telling off strangers, and stumbling over furniture, Marge signs up for a weekend retreat of marriage counselling hosted by Rev. Lovejoy. Homer finds out that the retreat will be held at Catfish Lake. Being the selfish person he is, he packs his fishing gear, hoping to catch the legendary catfish, the General Sherman. Marge discovers Homer planned to go fishing over fixing their marriage. Homer takes a walk instead. On his walk, he picks up an abandoned fishing pole which yanks and pulls him along the pier into a rowboat and onto the lake, the General Sherman being on the other end. Marge sees Homer from the cabin window and is disappointed. Homer catches the trophy fish, but Marge tells him that their marriage is in serious trouble if he values a fish more than her. To proove his love, he throws the fish back into the water and Marge forgives him.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Music From This Episode "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones (Heard during party) "The Look of Love" by Diana Krall (Heard during party) "That's the Way (I Like It)" by KC and The Sunshine Band (Heard during party) Edit
    • There is a picture of a fisherman with the very large shark he landed in the bait shop. There is also a sign that says "Leaches for sale" (as opposed to "Leeches"). Edit
    • Recipe for Flanders' Planter's Punch: Three shots of rum, a jigger of bourbon, and just a dab-a-roo of creme de cassis for flavor. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • On the DVD commentary for this episode, Matt Groening reveals that he detested the moment when General Sherman jumped out of the water and winked at the audience. He fought to have it removed and lost. Edit
    • Rejected material for this script included many couples who were supposed to be at the retreat instead of the Flanders'. Mr. Burns and his mail-order bride and Mrs. Krabappel trying to reunite with her estranged husband were just a few. Edit
    • This episode was written by the staff of the show, but an unsolicited writer sent the staff a script that was almost perfectly the same story line. To avoid any trouble, the show "paid him $3000" and went forward with the story. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Homer: I'm sorry honey, can't we just forget about last night and go to church?
      Marge: I'm going to church alone today! You are going to stay here and explain to Bart why you scarred him for life!
      Homer: (Defensively) No I didn't! I... oh, you mean inside, don't you?
      Edit
    • Homer: (after catching "General Sherman") I am the champion, I am the champion, no time for losers, 'cause I am the champion, of the world! (sees an angry Marge waiting for him) Uh-oh... Edit
    • Lovejoy: Come on Homer what are her faults? Homer: Well sometimes she can be annoying! Marge: Oh Homer. Lovejoy: Now Marge, don't interrupt, you'll get your turn. Homer: I'm done. Lovejoy: Okay, Marge. Marge: Well… its not that I don't love the guy, I'm always sticking up for him, it's just that he's so self-centered. He forgets birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. He chews with his mouth open, he gambles, he hangs out at a seedy bar with bums and low lifes. Homer: Oh it's true! Lovejoy: Homer don't interrupt. Marge: He blows his nose on the towels and then puts them back in the middle! Homer: I only did that a couple of times! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The Old Man and the Sea Homer's marathon attempt at catching General Sherman, his bludgeoning of the fish and the line "I love you, but I have to kill you" are all based on Santiago's fight with the marlin in Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Edit
    • Peanuts The titles of pamphlets mentioned by Reverend Lovejoy in church are: "Satan's Boners" and "Good grief, more Satan's Boners!" This pairing of titles is based on the titles of a couple of Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip compilation books entitled: Peanuts and Good grief, more Peanuts!. Edit
    • The War of the Roses The title of this episode is a parody of the title of the 1989 film The War of the Roses. Edit

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